Abstract
A facile and convenient synthesis of a series of bisheterocycles 7a,b 10, 12 and 13a,b containing a thieno[2,3-b]thiophene base unit via the versatile, hitherto unreported 3-[3,4-dimethyl-5-(3-nitrilopropanoyl)thieno[2,3-b]thiophen-2-yl]-3-oxopropanenitrile (4) is described.